Your wagon on board the train will be kept clean and tidy by your Provodniki (Wagon Attendants).    They are responsible for checking & collecting tickets,  cleaning the carriage and the toilets,  selling a few snacks and hot drinks, keeping the samovar constantly boiling with free hot water for your use (take your own heat-proof mug and supplies of tea and coffee) and numerous other duties.    There is a team of two provodniks per wagon - they work a one "on" / one "off" shift,  one taking the nights, the other the days.

They will let you know how long stops are scheduled for (so that you don't get left behind - but they won't wait for you if you are late!)

click HERE for some really nice pictures of the Trans-Sib crossing Mongolia (larger pictures, slightly longer download time).

Russian Railway Songs & Poetry

a kiosk open late at Novosibirsk Stn

The Baikal Express ready to leave Moscow

The above Graphics are merely averagely-sad train pictures.  We thought it fair to warn you that if you follow the link below,  you will be faced with a file which is so pathetically sad it's almost tragic that leading-edge technology has been used to make it available to you.  If you feel able to,  this file can be downloaded - we take no responsibility for the consequences.